WASHINGTON—Today, Gallup released a new poll that showed a growing percentage of people (71%) in the U.S. support same-sex marriage. In response, Human Rights Campaign Legal Director Sarah Warbelow released the following statement:

“This new data not only shows the continuing growth of support for same-sex marriage but also underscores what we have long known—anti-LGBTQ+ politicians and activists attacking marriage equality do not reflect the beliefs of the nation and are working contrary to public opinion,” said Sarah Warbelow, Human Rights Campaign Legal Director. “Notably, the Supreme Court doesn’t take public opinion into account when makings its decision; the Court will override decades of precedent if it strikes down Roe, despite the fact that a majority of Americans support access to abortion care. If that does indeed happen, it will likely embolden state legislatures – who have already been introducing and passing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation at a record pace – to continue to test the limits of court recognized LGBTQ+ equality. ”

Key Points from the poll:

• Today, results from a 2022 Gallup poll were released that showed the estimate of Americans that support same-sex marriage has risen to 71%, an increase of more than 44 percentage points from the initial recording in 1996.
  • In 2011, support for same-sex marriage reached the majority level of Americans.
  • In 2015, one month before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, public support for legalizing same-sex marriage reached the 60% level.

Gallup: Same-Sex Marriage Support Inches Up to New High of 71%

By: Justin McCarthy

Seventy-one percent of Americans say they support legal same-sex marriage, which exceeds the previous high of 70% recorded in 2021 by one percentage point.

When Gallup first polled about same-sex marriage in 1996, barely a quarter of the public (27%) supported legalizing such unions. It would take another 15 years, until 2011, for support to reach the majority level.

Then in 2015, just one month before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, public support for legalizing gay marriage cracked the 60% level, and last year it reached the 70% mark for the first time.

Read More.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Salt Lake City, Utah – Today, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed House Bill 11 – a bill that would have prevented transgender students from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. With the governor’s veto of the bill, Utah became the second state this year to reject such a discriminatory ban approved by the legislature.

Republican Gov. Cox had pledged to veto the bill – which was hastily pushed through the Senate and heavily amended on the last night of Utah’s legislative session. The governor’s pledge was met with resounding praise and appreciation for standing up on behalf of transgender student-athletes who the governor addressed by saying, “I just want them to know that it’s gonna be okay.”  In a letter explaining his veto, Gov. Cox said, “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few. I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live.”

Gov. Cox is the second Republican governor to veto an anti-trans sports ban in as many days; Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb vetoed a similar bill in his state yesterday.

Human Rights Campaign State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Cathryn Oakley released the following statement in reaction to Gov. Cox vetoing HB 11:

“Gov. Cox heard the voices of transgender students and their families, medical experts, the business community, and advocates for fairness in sports, all of whom oppose discriminatory legislation like HB 11. He’s shown that he sees the humanity of the transgender youth targeted by this legislation – something governors in states like South Dakota and Iowa have refused to do.

Transgender kids across Utah, whether they want to play school sports or not, will be better off because of Gov. Cox’s decision today, and the Human Rights Campaign appreciates his veto. We urge lawmakers to uphold the Governor’s veto because all children in Utah deserve better than being treated as political pawns – what they deserve is to be able to have fun with their friends, exercise, and learn how to be part of a team.”

In February 2021, Gov. Cox said he would not sign a bill then making its way through the Utah Legislature that would have banned transgender girls from participating in girl’s K-12 sports. Cox reflected on the hardships facing transgender youth saying, “These kids are … they’re just trying to stay alive.”At the same time, legislators in states across the country have continued an unprecedented assault on transgender youth. A record number of anti-transgender bills were filed in 2021, largely focused on denying transgender youth the ability to receive gender-affirming care and participate in school athletics programs. Even more anti-transgender legislation is on track to be filed in 2022. There are more than 320 anti-LGBTQ+ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country. Of those, at least 130 directly target transgender people and approximately half of those (70+ bills) would ban trans youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

Caught in the crosshairs of anti-LGBTQ+ elected officials’ divisive political strategy are kids who are simply trying to navigate their adolescence. Transgender youth, like all youth, gain benefits from participating in school athletics: leadership opportunities, better physical and mental health outcomes, self-discipline, self-confidence, teamwork, and, of course, fun – and they shouldn’t be prevented from participating in school athletics because of who they are.

Even when anti-transgender legislation does not become law, politicians are culpable for the harm they cause to LGBTQ+ people’s wellbeing simply by being subjected to continual legislative attacks on their dignity and humanity.  As we saw earlier this month, there are real consequences to the discrimination perpetrated upon LGBTQ+ people, particularly transgender youth.

Anti-Transgender Attacks As A Political Talking Point

Legislators in a record 34 states introduced 147 anti-transgender bills in 2021, focusing on discriminatory anti-equality measures to drive a wedge between their constituents and score short-term political points. In 2021, legislators in twelve states enacted anti-LGBTQ+ bills despite failing to provide examples of what exactly they were legislating against.

Merely introducing anti-transgender bills and peddling anti-transgender rhetoric has already had a damaging impact, leading to LGBTQ+ youth resources being surreptitiously removed from a government website, 11-year old kids literally having trouble sleeping, and a school district banning graphic novels with a transgender character after a parent’s complaint. 2021 and 2020 were the deadliest and second deadliest years on record for trans & gender non-conforming people respectively, with the Human Rights Campaign tracking at least 50 violent deaths in 2021 alone. A new Trevor Project survey shows that a startling 85% of transgender or gender non-binary youth say their mental health has been negatively affected by these legislative attacks.

Anti-transgender content on social media is also a radicalizing issue all by itself. This is in large part because transgender young people are among the most marginalized, voiceless, and defenseless communities in America, and because right-wing arguments play on long-standing misogynistic, racist, and sexist tropes about gender roles.

Anti-Equality Forces Are Spending Big

These bills are the result of a concerted effort by right-wing organizations that have been battling against LGBTQ+ progress for years. Across recent elections, one of the key anti-equality groups working to turn back decades of LGBTQ+ progress has been the American Principles Project (APP). APP and its chief underwriter Sam Fieler have invested millions of dollars in support of anti-LGBTQ+ candidates. In 2020, APP spent more than $2.6 million in ad spending in support of anti-equality candidates. In Virginia in 2021, APP spent at least $300,000 on digital advertising in support of Glenn Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign.

Restoration PAC, run and funded by major anti-LGBTQ+ bankroller Dick Uihlein, spent at least $1.9 million in advertising across Virginia in support of Youngkin and donated $942,000 to the political arm of anti-abortion group Women Speak Out Virginia. Anti-equality group Free to Learn Action launched a $1 million ad campaign spreading widely debunked anti-transgender misinformation in support of Youngkin’s campaign.

Businesses, Advocacy Groups, and Athletes Oppose Anti-Trans Legislation

More than 150 major U.S. corporations have stood up and spoken out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. Companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Dell, Dow, Google, IBM, Lyft, Marriott, Microsoft, Nike, and Paypal have objected to these bills. Four of the largest U.S. food companies also condemned “dangerous, discriminatory legislation that serves as an attack on LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender and nonbinary people,” and the Walton Family Foundation issued a statement expressing “alarm” at the trend of anti-transgender legislation that recently became law in Arkansas.

Many are rightly protective of the legacy of women’s sports in this country, and a robust Title IX is central to that legacy. Importantly, advocates for women and girls in sports – such as the National Women’s Law Center, the Women’s Sports Foundation, Women Leaders in College Sports, and others – support trans-inclusive policies and oppose efforts to exclude transgender students from participating in sports. So do prominent female athletes including Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, and Cheryl Reeve. That’s because while there are real issues facing women’s sports, including a lack of resources devoted to supporting them, transgender participation in athletics is not one of them.

The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1,000 child welfare organizations released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ+ people, and transgender children in particular.

Nearly 550 college athletes have stood up to anti-transgender legislation by demanding the NCAA pull championships from states that have enacted anti-trans sports laws.

Trans Equality Is Popular Across All Demographics

The reality is that however sensational and polarizing this issue may seem, public opinion polling across the country show strong support for trans-inclusive and pro-equality policies:

Recent PRRI data shows a large majority of Americans (82%) favor laws that protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing, and majorities of Republicans (67%), independents (85%), and Democrats (92%) favor nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans.

A PBS/NPR/Marist poll states that 67% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, oppose the anti-transgender sports ban legislation proliferating across 30 states.

In a 10-swing-state poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group in 2020 showed:

• At least 60% of Trump voters across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should be able to live freely and openly.
• At least 87% of respondents across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should have equal access to medical care, with many states breaking 90% support
• When respondents were asked about how they prioritized the importance of banning transgender people from participating in sports as compared to other policy issues, the issue came in dead last, with between 1% and 3% prioritizing the issue.

Another poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group revealed that, with respect to transgender youth participation in sports, the public’s strong inclination is on the side of fairness and equality for transgender student-athletes. 73% of voters agree that “sports are important in young people’s lives. Young transgender people should be allowed opportunities to participate in a way that is safe and comfortable for them.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Marking 20 years of progress through the Corporate Equality Index, a record 842 companies achieved a top-score for LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace policies

WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, released its 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which is celebrating 20 years of being the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring company policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. This year, a record-breaking 842 businesses employing 14.3 million workers earned the CEI’s top score of 100, up from only 13 in its inaugural year—demonstrating the incredible impact the CEI has had on the business world over its 20-year life.

Throughout the CEI’s two decade history, new criteria have been periodically introduced to ensure more robust, inclusive policies for LGBTQ+ workers—this year marks the next chapter in the tool’s evolution. HRC Foundation’s newly created CEI criteria will focus on expanding gender-affirming healthcare and workplace policies, ensuring equality in LGBTQ+ family formation benefit offerings, centering LGBTQ+ intersectionality through training and data collection best practices, and more—setting a new standard for LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace.

When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically. We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again and ensuring our ‘Best Places to Work’ label continues to be the gold standard. Evolving the CEI’s criteria to mirror society is imperative to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere.”

Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training

The first year of the CEI included 319 participants, and the 2022 CEI now includes 1,271 participants; further demonstrating the tremendous trajectory of the CEI, a record-breaking 1,268 businesses have non-discrimination protections specific to gender identity, up from 17 in 2002. These critical non-discrimination protections cover 40.7 million employees in the U.S. and around the globe.

Other key findings revealed in the 2022 CEI include:

• 379 of Fortune 500 businesses have official CEI ratings based on submitted surveys, as compared to 366 last year—with actively participating Fortune 500 companies having an average score of 94 percent, up from 92 last year.

• 71 percent of the Fortune 500 and 91 percent of all CEI-rated businesses offer transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage, up from 0 in 2002, and 14 times as many businesses as ten years ago.

• 56 percent of the Fortune 500 and 77 percent of all CEI-rated companies offer comprehensive domestic partnership benefits, up from 69 percent of companies in 2002, which at that time only required same-sex partner benefits.

The CEI criteria are reviewed annually and are periodically updated, this year HRC Foundation is releasing several criteria changes that will go into effect for the 2023 CEI. The new criterion is outlined below:

• The minimum requirements for transgender-inclusive healthcare policies have been increased.

• A new category has been created centering on family formation that works to ensure equitable access to family benefits for same and different sex legal spouses and domestic partners.

• An ease of access to benefits information is now required for transgender healthcare benefits, family formation and HIV/AIDS health benefits coverage.

• At least one employee training integrating concepts of intersectionality will be required.

• Employers will be required to implement at least one self-ID data collection practice—for example, confidential surveys, human resource systems, or a mechanism for board members to self-ID.

• Gender transition guidelines are required as well as implementing at least one additional transgender-inclusion best practices, such as gender-neutral restrooms and inclusive dress codes.

The 2022 CEI criteria are its 5th iteration and fall under four central pillars: non-discrimination policies across business entities; equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families; supporting an inclusive culture; and corporate social responsibility. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

Washington, D.C. – Today Representative Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined with Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to introduce the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act.

The GLOBE Act, H.R. 3800, would establish equality and justice as key components of U.S. foreign policy; affirm that discrimination, hatred, and violence against LGBTQI persons will not be tolerated by the United States; and assert that the United States government will treat LGBTQI rights as human rights throughout its foreign policy, development assistance, and immigration programs. The bill would also establish a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Persons at the State Department.

“No person should suffer from discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” said Congresswoman Titus (NV-1). “Under the leadership of President Biden and Secretary Blinken, the United States has the opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by protecting the rights of LGBTQI people at home and abroad. The GLOBE Act equips the federal government with the tools and personnel it needs to promote LGBTQI rights around the world and punish regimes that persecute people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I’m grateful to Senators Markey, Shaheen, and Merkley for their partnership on this important legislation.”

“Today, millions of people can once again see the Pride flag fly outside of U.S. embassies around the world, affirming the United States’ commitment to protecting LGBTQI rights everywhere,” said Senator Markey (D-MA). “LGBTQI rights are human rights, and we must take further steps to ensure that equality, justice, and non-discrimination policies are embedded throughout our foreign policy. President Biden and Secretary Blinken have committed to making the protection of human rights a key pillar of our work abroad, and I look forward to working with them to ensure these rights are extended to all people, no matter who they are or who they love, first and foremost by a swift appointment of the Special Envoy for LGBTQI Rights. I thank Senator Shaheen and Merkley, and Representative Titus for their leadership on this legislation and their commitment to upholding LGBQTI rights around the world.”

“As the U.S. restores its role as the global leader in promoting human rights, LGBTQI+ rights must be a top priority. We must double down on our commitment to protect the right for people to love freely and express their truest gender identity – regardless of where they live in  the world,” said Senator Shaheen (D-NH). “I’m encouraged by the Biden administration’s efforts to ensure LGBTQI+ rights are integrated within our foreign policy goals, and I look forward to working with them to ensure this bill’s passage to establish a dedicated Special Envoy. We must not back down on our push for equality and justice on the global stage.”

“We are living in a moment where governments around the world continue to make dangerous threats to our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors,” said Senator Merkley (D-OR). “America cannot remain silent in the face of that discrimination and abuse. Every person—regardless of who they are, whom they love, or where they live—has the right to be treated with decency and respect. That’s why I’m urging my colleagues to join us in passing the GLOBE Act, to send a clear message that the United States is committed to defending those rights for the American people and for people around the world.”

“The GLOBE Act is landmark legislation that provides legal, diplomatic, and financial tools to advance human rights for LGBTQI persons globally,” said Council for Global Equality Chair Mark Bromley. “It honors the Biden Administration’s foreign policy commitments and allows U.S. embassies to offer targeted support for some of the most marginalized communities around the world.”

“President Biden and this Congress continue to make progress on protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination at home and abroad, reversing the worst actions of the previous administration,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. “The GLOBE Act to Protect LGBTI Rights Worldwide is a critical step in combating bigotry and prejudice worldwide. This legislation sends a clear message: the United States is redoubling its commitment to advancing human rights around the globe. We thank Senator Markey for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ people.”

“We applaud Senators Markey, Shaheen and Merkley and Representative Titus for introducing legislation that promotes a vision of justice for LGBTQI+ people who have been marginalized and criminalized by their governments,” said American Jewish World Service Director of U.S. Advocacy Rori Kramer. “For too long, U.S. foreign policy has not centered the rights of LGBTQI+ people – the GLOBE Act will change that. Addressing the wide-ranging nature of LGBTQI+ rights from foreign aid, to asylum and immigration, to global health, the GLOBE Act would ensure that the United States leads the fight to protect and promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world.”

Specifically, the GLOBE Act:

• Codifies the State Department Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI Persons in law;
• Requires the State Department to document human rights abuses and discrimination against LGBTQI people around the world;
• Restricts entry into the United States for foreign individuals responsible for abuse and murder of LGBTQI populations;
• Ensures fair access to asylum and refugee programs for LGBTQI individuals;
• Requires engagement with international organizations, including the United Nations and the World Bank, to protect international LGBTQI rights; and
• Protects the rights of U.S. LGBTQI citizens serving their countries overseas at diplomatic and consular posts.

In the House, The GLOBE Act is co-sponsored by Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Raul M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Mark Takano (CA-41), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Karen Bass (CA-37), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-53), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Brad Sherman (CA-30), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Darren Soto (FL-09), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ted Deutch (FL-22), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Judy Chu (CA-27), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Edward Case (HI-01), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Donald McEachin (VA-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Bill Keating (MA-09), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Antonio Delgado (NY-19), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Adam Smith (WA-09), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (FL-23), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Madeline Dean (PA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Dan Kildee (MI-05), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Marie Newman (IL-03), Grace Meng (NY-06), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Al Green (TX-09), John Larson (CT-01), Andre’ Carson (IN-07), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Angie Craig (MN-02), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), Jim Costa (CA-16), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Danny Davis (IL-07), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Jim Himes (CT-04).